Monitoring and control of optical networks with the aid of calculations and further testing the networks' operation is a concept that has been generally considered in the prior art.
US 2003/0058494A (WO03/003636 A2) describes an optical network system having a global controller capable of monitoring and controlling all elements of the network. The controller receives performance data from each optical network element and calculates a performance value for each channel transmitting through the system. The controller then isolates the channel with the minimum performance value and tests possible variations in network element parameters to determine a measure, which would increase the performance value. Once such a change is found, it is implemented and the system is re-optimized.
The controller of US 2003/0058494A is called a global controller capable of controlling all the elements of the network. The controller receives performance data from each optical network element, and calculates a performance value for each channel transmitting through the system. The controller then isolates the channel with the minimal performance value and tests possible changes in network element parameters to find a change which would increase this performance value. Once such a change is found, it is implemented and the system is re-optimized. It should be noted that, for testing the possible changes in the above-described system and making a decision, the elements and optical channels are to be physically subjected to possible changes. Needless to say that operations of the real testing always affect transmission of traffic via the network.